OT: I just found some abandoned kittens, questions...

[Hurgoth]

Long story short,

Coworkers wife found three abandoned kittens at her job. My GF and I took them cuz we are more "animal" experienced then them (plus they didn't want them and the shelter said they would just euthanize them). They are no more than 10 days old by the research I've done so far. We've cleaned them up and are keeping them warm.
I have kitten formula and the little bottles. I reared kittens, puppies, and a 1 day old pot belly pig when I was a kid, but I don't remember it being so difficult to get them to feed. I have been trying relentlesly for an hour to get them to suckle but its not working so far.

Anyone have some luck with this before that can give me some clues?

Between my sister, GF, and myself I am not worried about the amount of attention/time needed, I just need them to start eating to get a load off my chest.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[818]

Try warming the bottle.

If they still dont suckle out of bottle then the nipple on the bottle are to big. They sell smaller ones at PETSTORES.

Me and my neighbor reared 2 of em. Though the ones we had, had no problems eating.

Good Luck

Sam

 

[Badmort]

My sister brought home a little abandoned street kitten....
I remember us buying the smallest bottles and formulae from Petco
and her not eating until we heated up the nipples in hot water

Now she has a half feral , little loose helion in her house.... Im not a big fan of cats

 

[Sk8r]

Try putting formula on your finger and try to get a little taste into the kitten's lips just very, very gently, and be careful of overfeeding: don't let stomachs get too taut. If they're as much as 10 days old, they've nursed, they just don't recognize the bottle.
If they're newborn, they might have passed the time at which the nursing reflex kicks in---this can be dealt with by means of a milk-damp finger or even the corner of a handkerchief soaked in milk and sometimes stroking the throat with a feather-light touch to try to stimulate the swallowing reflex. Failing all else, use an eyedropper half a drop at a time until they get the idea: the eyedropper is dangerous, because more than a drop can choke them or go down the wrong way. Try not to feed them on their backs for that reason: get them to hold their heads up much as they would at their mother's belly.
Mostly keep everything body temperature or a little warmer: cats have a slightly higher body temperature than we do.
Good luck: they eat often for the first day or so.

 

[Hurgoth]

I know they are about 7-10 cuz their eyes are open, but barely. Man, they are sleeping now, but when they get going they really back a punch to the ears.